Metabolic changes in elicitor-treated bean cells. Selectivity of enzyme induction in relation to phytoalexin accumulation.

Treatment of cell suspension cultures of Phaseolus vulgaris c.v. Immuna with an elicitor preparation heat-released from the cell walls of the phytopathogenic fungus Colletotrichum lindemuthianum resulted in rapid accumulation of the prenylated 5-hydroxyisoflavanone phytoalexin kievitone followed by later accumulation of the pterocarpan-derived phytoalexin phaseollin. Kievitone formation was preceded by rapid transient increases in the extractable activities of the enzymes L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and chalcone synthase. The extractable activities of 15 enzymes were measured in the cell cultures during the period of kievitone accumulation. The results suggest a highly selective induction of enzymes associated directly with the phytoalexin pathway. No induction of enzymes of pathways diverging from or providing substrates for the phenylpropanoid----isoflavonoid pathway was observed. The increase in glutamate dehydrogenase activity in control cultures was prevented by elicitor application. A comparison of enzyme activities in control and Colletotrichum-infected bean hypocotyls provided further evidence of the selective induction of enzymes of phytoalexin synthesis, although peroxidase, glutamate dehydrogenase and glutamate synthase activities were higher in infected than in healthy hypocotyls. It is concluded that the major enzymic changes occurring in elicitor-treated bean cells are probably those directly associated with defence mechanisms such as the formation of isoflavonoid phytoalexins (this paper) or accumulation of phenolic compounds and hydroxyproline-protein in the cell walls [Bolwell, G. P. et al. (1985) Eur. J. Biochem. 148, 571-578].